Hebrews 1 · Verse 12

Hebrews 1:12

And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
Hebrews 1:12, King James Version

Hebrews 1:12 in other translations

BSBYou will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed; but You remain the same, and Your years will never end.”
WEBYou will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years won’t fail.”
ASVAnd as a mantle shalt thou roll them up, As a garment, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, And thy years shall not fail.
YLTand as a mantle Thou shall roll them together, and they shall be changed, and Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail.'
DARBYand as a covering shalt thou roll them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the Same, and thy years shall not fail.
BBEThey will be rolled up like a cloth, even like a robe, and they will be changed: but you are the same and your years will have no end.
WebsterAnd as a vesture wilt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

What does Hebrews 1:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. vesture--Greek, "an enwrapping cloak." fold them up--So the Septuagint, Psa 102:26; but the Hebrew, "change them." The Spirit, by Paul, treats the Hebrew of the Old Testament, with independence of handling, presenting the divine truth in various aspects; sometimes as here sanctioning the Septuagint (compare Is 34:4; Re 6:14); sometimes the Hebrew; sometimes varying from both. changed--as one lays aside a garment to put on another. thou art the same--(Is 46:4; Mal 3:6). The same in nature, therefore in covenant faithfulness to Thy people. shall not fail--Hebrew, "shall not end." Israel, in the Babylonian captivity, in the hundred second Psalm, casts her hopes of deliverance on Messiah, the unchanging covenant God of Israel.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. And as vesture, A garment;--literally something thrown around--περιβολαιον,--and denoting properly the outer garment, the cloak or mantle. Mt 5:40.

Shalt thou fold them up. That is, the heavens. They are represented in the Scriptures as an expanse, or something spread out, (Heb. in Gen 1:7;) and a curtain, or tent, (Isa 40:22,) and as a scroll that might be spread out or rolled up like a book or volume, Isa 34:4, Rev 6:14. Here they are represented as a garment or mantle that might be folded up--language borrowed from folding up and laying aside garments that are no longer fit for use.

And they shall be changed. That is, they shall be exchanged for others, or they shall give place to the new heavens and the new earth. 2Pet 3:13. The meaning is, that the present form of the heavens and the earth is not to be permanent, but is to be succeeded by others, or to pass away, but that the Creator is to remain the same.

Thou art the same. Thou wilt not change.

And thy years shall not fail. Thou wilt exist for ever unchanged. What could more clearly prove that he of whom this is spoken is immutable? Yet it is indubitably spoken of the Messiah, and must demonstrate that he is divine. These attributes cannot be conferred on a creature; and nothing can be clearer, than that he who penned the epistle believed that the Son of God was divine.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 And they shall be changed - Not destroyed ultimately, or annihilated. They shall be changed and renewed. But thou art the same - These words can be said of no being but God; all others are changeable or perishable, because temporal; only that which is eternal can continue essentially, and, speaking after the manner of men, formally the same. Thy years shall not fail - There is in the Divine duration no circle to be run, no space to be measured, no time to be reckoned. All is eternity - infinite and onward.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 1:4-14

Many Jews had a superstitious or idolatrous respect for angels, because they had received the law and other tidings of the Divine will by their ministry. They looked upon them as mediators between God and men, and some went so far as to pay them a kind of religious homage or worship. Thus it was necessary that the apostle should insist, not only on Christ's being the Creator of all things, and therefore of angels…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 1:4-14 →

Hebrews 1:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiandG2532
ὡσεὶhōseilikeG5616
περιβόλαιονperibolaiona robeG4018
ἑλίξειςhelixeisYou will roll upG1667
αὐτοὺςautousthemG846
ὡςhōslikeG5613
ἱμάτιονhimationa garmentG2440
καὶkaialsoG2532
ἀλλαγήσονται·allagēsontaithey will be changed;G236
σὺsuYou yourselfG4771
δὲdehoweverG1161
ὁhotheG3588
αὐτὸςautossameG846
εἶ,eiare,G1510
καὶkaiandG2532
τὰtatheG3588
ἔτηetēyearsG2094
σουsouof YouG4771
οὐκouknotG3756
ἐκλείψουσιν.¶ekleipsousinwill never end.G1587

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hebrews 1:12

  • Psalms 102:26-27

    They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

  • Hebrews 13:8

    Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • John 8:58

    Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

  • Exodus 3:14

    And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

  • Psalms 90:4

    For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
but.
13:8; Ex 3:14; Joh 8:58; Jas 1:17
and thy.
Ps 90:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Hebrews 1:11

    They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

  • Hebrews 1:12

    And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

  • Hebrews 1:13

    But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Read all of Hebrews 1

Hebrews 1:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y como un vestido los envolverás, y serán mudados; empero tú eres el mismo, y tus años no acabarán.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et tu les plieras comme un vêtement, et ils seront changés; mais toi, tu es le même, et tes ans ne cesseront point ».
German
Elberfelder 1871		und wie ein Gewand wirst du sie zusammenwickeln, und sie werden verwandelt werden. Du aber bist derselbe, und deine Jahre werden nicht vergehen."
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et velut amictum mutabis eos, et mutabuntur: tu autem idem ipse es, et anni tui non deficient.